Ventilator construction



Feb. 2, 1960 M. FITTERMAN 2,923,228

VENTILATOR CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 28. 1958 II/II/IIIIII/IA 7IIIIIIII &

INVENTOR MAX F/TTFRMN ATTORNEY United States Patent,

VENTILATOR CONSTRUCTION Max Fitterman, Spring Valley, N.Y. Application October 2r, 1958, Serial No. 770,033

'5 Claims. (Cl. 98121) This invention relates to air flow devices-and is particularly, although not exclusively, directed to devices adapted for use as louver ventilators.

The common form of ventilating louver comprises a plurality of parallel slats arranged to permit the movement of air therethrough while serving as a shield against wind and rain. In such conventional constructions the rate of air flow is relatively slow, the discharged air being gradually dispersed into the atmosphere outside of the device, the air speed being dependent upon'temperature differences or upon the action of special fan devices. There is nothing inherent in such conventional louver devices to actively induce the movement of air therethrough, unless they are equipped with special mechanical means such as blowers. Although various bafile arrangements have been employed in conjunction with ventilating louvers, they essentially serve the purpose of distributing the flow of air; and it has. indeed, been found that instead of accelerating the air flow through the device, such baflles or similar means generally constitute obstructing elements.

It is the primary object of my invention to provide an air flow device capable of use as positive aircirculating means in a building louver or other locale, whereby the device itself is capable of enhancing the flow of air therethrough without the use of movable means such as blowers and the like. In the accomplishment of this objective ,a construction is employed which I believe is utterly new device capable of attaining the objectives above-mentioned and yet which is simple in construction, easy to fabricate. and capable ofready installation.

Other objects, features and advantages will appear from the drawings and the descriptionhereinafter given.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. l is a perspective view showing an embodiment of my invention adapted for installation in a wall of a building.

Fig. 2 is a somewhat enlarged front view of the device of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a section of Fig. 2 taken along line 3--3.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of one of the panel components of my invention.

. The drawings illustrate an air flow device in accord- 'ance with my invention, the particular embodiment shown tion is required.

being in the form of a louver ventilator in a building; but, as aforesaid. the device is not limited to such use. For example. it may be used as air circulating or ventilating means in marine vessels. railway cars, automobiles or in any substantially enclosed structure wherein air circula- For. the .sakeof simplicity, the device :will in this specification be referred to as a ventilator.

.- .Intheembodiment illustrated. the ventilator assembly,

generally designated 15, is disposed within and secured to r: 2,923,228 Patented Feb. 2, 1960 a framework generally designated 16, the details of construction of said framework and the manner of attachment of the assembly thereto not being set forth in detail herein, since they are well understood by those skilled in the art; and moreover, a detailed description thereof is not necessary for an understanding of the present invention. Suffice it to say, for present purposes, that the said framework 16 comprises side walls 17 and 18, inner and outer bottom supporting walls 19 and 20, respectively, and the top or roof portion generally designated 21 which encloses and defines the top discharge chamber 22-said roof portion 21 having a solid rear wall 23 and a front wall 24 containing therein the discharge apertured portion 25.

The said ventilator section 15 comprises a plurality of horizontally disposed, vertically aligned and spaced panels 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30, said panels being preferably substantially in parallel relation and inclined downwardly and forwardly, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3. At the bottom of said ventilator assembly 15 is the base panel 31, this being in spaced relation to the lowermost panel 26. The uppermost of said panels 30 is preferably spaced below the bottom edge 32 of wall 24, and accordingly below the said chamber 22. It is further to be noted that, in the particular form illustrated, each of panels 26 to 30 has at the rear thereof a substantially vertical upwardly extending flange 33, and at the front thereof a substantially downwardly extending flange 34.

Each of said panels 26 to 30 contains in the inclined wall portion thereof a plurality of apertures, the apertures in each of said panels being arranged and positioned for substantially vertical registry with the correspondingly positioned apertures in the other panels. Specifically, panel 26 has apertures 35a, 36a and 37a; panel 27 has apertures 35b, 36b and 37b; panel 28 has apertures 35c, 36c and 370; panel 29 has apertures 35d, 36d and 37d; and panel 30 has apertures 35e, 36e and 372. Apertures 35a, 35b, 35c, 35d and 35e are in vertical alignment; so are apertures 36a, 36b, 36c, 36d and 36a, and also apertures 37a, 37b, 37c, 37d and 37e. In the preferredconstruction illustrated, each of the said apertured portions in the panels has a downwardly depending peripheral wall 38, the arrangement being suchas will more clearly hereinafter appearthat the panels are each provided with a number of short downwardly extending fiues, the vertically aligned flues constituting what in effect are stacks. For the purposeof this specification, said apertured portions in the panels will generally be referred to as stack apertured portions.

In the construction above-described, there are a number of inlet openings 39, 40, 41, 42, 43 and 44 at the rear of the device and communicating between the inner atmosphere, generally designated 45, at the right of wall 20 (see Fig. 3), and the interior of the assembly 15 and a corresponding number of outlet openings 46, 47, 48, 49, 50 and 51 at the front of the device and communicating between the interior of said assembly and the outer atmosphere, generally designated 52, at the left of front wall 19. The passageway 53 formed by panels 31 and 26 communicates with respective inlet and discharge openings 39 and 46 and the said stack apertured portions 35a, 36a and 37a; the passageway 54 formed by panels 26 and 27 communicates with respective inlet and discharge openings 40 and 47 and the said stack apertured portions 35b, 36b and 37b; the passageway 55 formed by panels 27 and 28 communicates with respective inlet and discharge openings 41 and 48 and the said stack apertured portions 350, 36c and 370; the passageway 56 formed by panels 28 and 29 communicates with the saidstack" aper'tured portions 35d, 36d and 37d; the

passageway 57 formed'by panels 29 and 30 commun'F cateswith respective inlet and discharge openings 43' and 50 and the said stack apertured portions 35e, 3.62 and. 37e. And the passageway 58 above panel 30 communicates through opening 59 with the interior of chamber 22 and the discharge aperturedportion 25 thereof.

I columns of air being drawn upwardly, one through stack apertured portions 35a, 35b, 35c, 35d and 1552; another through stack apertured portions 36a, 36b, 36c, 36d and 36e; and the other through stack apertured portions 37a, 37b, 37c, 37d and 372. It has been found that, even without the said peripheral walls 38, an upward draft is created through the respective apertured portions in vertical reigstry; but with the short flues comprising the said peripheral walls 38, this draft effect is enhanced. Accordingly, there are upwardly moving currents of air traveling in columns through the said draft apertured portions, said upwardly moving currents being identified by the arrows E. As the air moves upwardly, negative pressures are created in the regions of the inlet openings, such as at openings 40, 41, 42, 43 and 44, thereby causing an induction of air through these openings. The said columns of air travel upwardly until they reach the upper-' most chamber 22, whereupon they move outwardly through discharge apertured portion 25 into the outside atmosphere.

The arrangement is hence such as to create concentrated upwardly moving columns of air, in contradistinction to the relatively slow and generally dispersed flow of air through conventional ventilating louvers. The continuously upwardly moving columns of air due to said stack effect draw in air, as aforesaid, through the said openings 40 to 44 at a velocity greater than that possible with conventional constructions. The net effect of this construction is accordingly a rapid and increased flow of air through the entire apparatus, whereby greater volumes of air are discharged than occurs with conventional constructions under similar conditions. It has been found that the greatest discharge is in the upper regions of the device, such as through the main discharge apertured portion 25, as indicated by the arrow F; but there are also discharges through outlet openings therebelow, such as through outlet openings 49, 50 and 51, as indicated by the arrows G. The flow through said lower openings 49, 50 and 51 may be due to downward back pressure, and possibly to the energy of the incoming air through openings 42, 43 and 44, as indicated by the arrows H.

The flanges 33 and 34 serve as barriers against the inflow of rain; and any rain that may enter through the openings 46 to 51 will be received by the downwardly sloping walls of the panel members to be directed forwardly and outwardly. It has also been found that the said rear upwardly extending flanges. 33 serve another purpose, in that they causesomewhat constricted inlet orifices, thereby increasing the velocity of the incoming air and making the air-inducting action of the rising columns of air more elfective.

I have found that in actual operation my device is effective in producing a more rapid circulation of air in an attic than is possible with any conventional device not employing fans or blowers, with correspondingly greater reductions in temperatures.

In the above description, the invention has been disclosed merely by way of example and in preferred manner; but obviously many variations and modifications may be made. therein. It is to be understood, therefore, that t e invention is not limited to any specific form or manner of practicing same, except insofar as such limitations are specified in the appended claims. 2

I claim:

1,. In a ventilator device, a framework comprising opposite lateral sides, a top portion and a bottom portion and forming an enclosed chamber open at the front and rear portions thereof, an assembly of panel members extending between said lateral sides and being positioned in spaced relation one; above the other, oppositely posi tioned openingsbeing provided between certain of said members at said front and rear portions of said framework,.a flue pottionfin each of said panels comprising an apertured portion surrounded by a peripheral wall, said flue portions being in substantially vertical registry, whereby a stack effect is created, Said front and rear openings being in communication with the spaces between said panels and said flue portions.

2. In a ventilator device, a plurality of panel members positioned in spaced relation, one above the other, oppositely positionedfront outlet andrear inlet openings being provided between said members at the respective front and rear portions thereof, each of said. panels having at the rear thereof an upwardly extending flange and at the front thereof a downwardly extending flange, a fiue portion in each ofsaid panels. in spacedrelation to said front and rear flanges, each of said flue. Portions comprising an apertured portion surrounded by a peripheral wall, said flue portions being in substantially vertical registry, whereby a stack effect is created, said oppositely positioned front and rear openings being in communication with said flue portions, and a framework supporting said panels in said spaced relation.

3. In a ventilator device, a framework comprising opposite lateral sides, a top portion. and a bottom portion and forming an enclosed chamber open at the front and rear portions thereof, an assembly of substantially flat panel members extending between said lateral sides and being positioned in spaced relation one above the other, oppositely positioned openings being provided between certain of said members at said front and rear portions of said framework, a plurality of flue portions in each of said panels each comprising an aperturedv portion surroundedby a peripheral wall, the said flue portions in each of said members corresponding in number and vertical position to the flue portions of the other members, where'a plurality of vertically aligned flue portions are provided to create a multiple stack efiect, said front and rear openings being in communication with the spaces between said panels and said flue portions.

4. In a ventilator device, the combination according to claim 3, said top portion of the framework comprising a discharge compartment with a wall having a front discharge aperture therein, said compartment having an open portion at the bottom communicating with the flue portion of the uppermost of said panel members.

5. In a ventilator device, a framework comprising opposite lateral sides, a top portion and a bottom portion and forming an enclosed chamber open at the front and rear portions thereof, an assembly of panel members extending between said lateral sides and being positioned in spaced relation one above the other to provide passageways therebetween, oppositely positioned openings being provided between certain of said members at said front and rear portions of said frameworkand communicating with adjacent ones of said passageways, a flue portion in certain adjacent ones of said panels andcomprising an apertured portion and wall means extending from said apertured portion into an adjacent one of said passageways, said flue portions being in substantially'vertical registry, whereby a stack effect is created.

References Cited in the file of this patent I UNITED- STATES PATENTS Simblest July 3, 1956 

